William HEILMAN

(1824-1890)

HEILMAN, William,
(great-grandfather of Charles Marion LaFollette), a Representative
from Indiana; born in Albig, Duchy of Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany,
October 11, 1824; immigrated to the United States in 1843 and
settled on a farm in Vanderburg County, Ind.; moved to Evansville,
Ind.; worked for a manufacturing company and subsequently became
president of a cotton mill; founded a machine shop for the
manufacture of drills in 1847; member of the city council
1852-1865; member of the State house of representatives 1870-1876;
delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1876; served in
the State senate from 1876 until March 3, 1879; elected as a
Republican to the Forty-sixth and Forty-seventh Congresses (March
4, 1879-March 3, 1883); unsuccessful candidate for reelection in
1882 to the Forty-eighth Congress; resumed his former business
activities; died in Evansville, Ind., September 22, 1890; interment
in Oak Hill Cemetery.